Academic Education vs Self-learning and Passion in Music!

[Strychnine]

I have no experience with music other than listening to it heavily and trying to sing when I'm drunk enough to karaoke.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

I think it’s good to do some formal training in music, whether that is with a private teacher or a couple of courses, to supplement what you learn on your own.

But people who take tons of music classes and use it as their primary or exclusive means of music education tend to lack creativity but are often technically very sound and know a bunch of theory. But it seems like the theory confines them instead of opening them up to new possibilities. I took an improvisational workshop class in college after I had been playing guitar for many years and had been taking private lessons. Most of the students were guys who played in their high school jazz bands and were music majors. They were excellent at reading music and playing what other people had written as well as understanding it. But they lacked any and all creativity.

Still, my friend who is a professional drummer insists that theory of mine isn’t true. But most of the people in successful bands did not have much formal training. And by successful bands, I mean bands that have contributed something original to music. I don’t mean the session guys who get hired to play in Avril Levign’s band or whatever. As if to prove me correct, in the movie Hired Guns, they showed a band of only session guys playing original music. It was the most unoriginal, lackluster bullshit I ever heard.

 

[freakroor]

cool topic.

one predictor of the level of success a musician will achieve is whether they grew up in a musical household. I have read countless interviews with famous musicians who grew up in musical families where one or both parents played an instrument. Having a parent who is a musician, or who is at least passionate about music, that is a huge factor in one's development

 

[chrisdiaz]

Oh so you're talking about #2 jamming?

I rarely jam like that.

I like to jam by having riffs written and everybody has theirs written and put them together with the drummer doing his thing.

Yea, it's the things you explained with the 1-7 thing and the A is maj and B is maj7 etc etc? Stuff like that confuse the hell out of me...

I did try reading about music theory and all that other stuff when I first started, but it was just killing my feeling to play so I never bothered with it.

It kinda messes with my thought process on making music. I just need to know the frets and the numbers...

people that understand what you're talking about seem to dig my sound, so I think I'm at least doing something right...

To me personally... especially when you're playing music, it's just something you don't really have to understand.
you just play. I guess you just try to feel the sounds and the rhythm... and if you're playing constantly, eventually you'll get comfortable to the point you kinda do understand... I dunno man it's kind of hard to explain...

But I'll check the video out. Thanks

Trust me i hear ya. I will be honest, i am a much better producer than a musician. Sounds like you have a more mechanical ear trained sound which might be better for ur style. I am much better at directing a band on what to do than doing it myself. In order to be able to do that tho, i jad to learn how to talk to the band and speak their "language" it also has gotten in the way of creativity cause ur thinking of these rules. I was told the way to do it is learn the rules, then break them creatively.

If you have some music, feel free to share it.

 

[freakroor]

Dave Grohl taught himself.

Guess that didn't work out.

you talkin about drums or guitar? cuz dave is a badass drummer, not so much on the guitar although still not bad.

 

[Pugilistic]

I'm trying to relearn music theory now because I realize I really like music and regretting not paying attention more in school. But to be fair, school made it really fucking boring. And it didn't help that I was forced to do it under threat of physical ass kickings. No wonder I hated music growing up. Even my mom admits that if she didn't push me so needlessly hard I might have actually liked playing piano and now would be really good, because all my teachers have said I had talent.

 

[Eazy123]

you talkin about drums or guitar? cuz dave is a badass drummer, not so much on the guitar although still not bad.

Both. He had one lesson I believe but said he wanted to learn what worked best for him.

 

[freakroor]

Both. He had one lesson I believe but said he wanted to learn what worked best for him.

good for dave. self taught musicians may excel at their chosen style but often lack versatility.

 

[Losfer Words]

A million paths to the end in music. Perseverance and hard work will always help though.

 

[number 9]

Trust me i hear ya. I will be honest, i am a much better producer than a musician. Sounds like you have a more mechanical ear trained sound which might be better for ur style. I am much better at directing a band on what to do than doing it myself. In order to be able to do that tho, i jad to learn how to talk to the band and speak their "language" it also has gotten in the way of creativity cause ur thinking of these rules. I was told the way to do it is learn the rules, then break them creatively.

If you have some music, feel free to share it.

Yea, I can see from your perspective as well, it sounds like it's better to know these things someone in your style... especially, for someone who's directing a band...

What's a band director though? Is it like a composer?

Playing music is just a hobby of mine...

Me and my friend are trying to record our new stuff and still putting songs together...

It's almost impossible to find a drummer that's into the genre we like to play. we're using drum loops now.

Whenever we get it recorded I'll shoot you a message if you're interested... it could be a while though...

 

[chrisdiaz]

Yea, I can see from your perspective as well, it sounds like it's better to know these things someone in your style... especially, for someone who's directing a band...

What's a band director though? Is it like a composer?

Playing music is just a hobby of mine...

Me and my friend are trying to record our new stuff and still putting songs together...

It's almost impossible to find a drummer that's into the genre we like to play. we're using drum loops now.

Whenever we get it recorded I'll shoot you a message if you're interested... it could be a while though...

A producer is someone who guides a band through the recording process. Look up Jimmy Iovine or rick rubin for examples of really good producers. They basically tell the band "yeah that sounded good, but lets try it this way" or "I like that take but lets try another" Hes there to get the most out of the artist when working with them or guide the song in the right direction.